Rick Scott was sworn in on Tuesday as Florida’s 45th Governor before several hundred state officials, private sector leaders and community members. At times, seemingly nervous, unprepared and flubbing several of his lines, Scott’s speech was dominated by the issue of creating jobs for the more than 1 million Floridians out of work.

Governor-elect Rick Scott began two days of inaugural events on Monday morning, departing from the Governor’s Mansion, although he doesn’t officially take office until Tuesday when he takes to oath of office. Scott who campaigned on a theme, Let’s get to Work”, appeared anxious to get going, beginning with an early morning walk with his yellow lab Reagan on the Mansion grounds.

As Gov.-elect Rick Scott readies for his January 4th inauguration, he is likely to face a myriad of challenges from an impatient public early in his term. Among them, the promise of 700,000 additional jobs will no doubt loom large for the “Jobs Governor” in a state where more than 1 million are out of work.

Florida will gain two additional congressional seats on account of its 17 percent population growth in the last decade, Census officials announced Tuesday. Now slated to hold 27 seats in the 435 member house, Florida continues a trend that began in 1930 by gaining at least one congressional seat during each of the past nine decennial redistributions of political power in a nation that continued to grow to the west and south.

Less than three weeks before Gov.-elect Rick Scott takes office, plans for implementing one of his major campaign promises–to cut $1 billion from the state’s prison system–drew a sharp push-back from the union representing correctional officers with the airing of television spots warning, inmates might be released to help reduce cost.

Flanked by a host of mostly Democratic lawmakers, Gov. Charlie Crist highlighted on Wednesday, legislation that will create a Civil Rights Hall of Fame exhibit in the Capitol. The measure (HB 523), sponsored by Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jacksonville, calls for the members of the Hall of Fame to be nominated by the Florida Commission on Human Relations and selected by the governor.